Job Search Secret
How to Find the Best Job Leads

"There is no traffic jam on the extra mile." Unknown

The best job search secret anyone can learn is the power of accessing the hidden job market.

Searching for job leads in the hidden job market is, hands down, the best job search technique you'll ever use. Unfortunately, the majority of job seekers conduct a job search without using this job search secret to its full potential.

Click here to share the most unusual or creative strategy you've used to successfully find a great job lead.

When you are looking for job leads, if you're only looking for advertised jobs, you are missing the very best job opportunities. Approximately 80% of jobs are never advertised. So if you're spending the majority of your time pursuing advertised jobs, you are missing out on lot of great opportunities.

Think about it this way, if 20% of jobs are advertised, and 80% of jobs are not advertised, that's how you should divide your time when you are job searching. Spend about 20% of your time pursuing advertised job leads and 80% of your time looking for unadvertised job leads.

If you're not convinced, here are a few characteristics of advertised jobs vs. hidden or unadvertised jobs:

Because advertised jobs are advertised, they are easier to find.
Finding hidden job opportunities takes more work than finding advertised jobs.
Because advertised jobs are easier to find, that means there is more competition, so they are harder to get.
Hidden (unadvertised) jobs are harder to find, and fewer people actually look for hidden job leads, so there is less competition for unadvertised jobs.
That means, once you find the unadvertised job lead, it's a lot easier to get the job; there's a lot less competition.

On top of that, employers often advertise jobs only as a last resort. That means advertised jobs are usually the types of jobs that are harder for the employer to fill. Often advertised jobs are either less than ideal for some reason, or the employer needs someone with a very specific set of skills that are not easy to find. If the employer does not need to advertise to fill a job, it is probably a job that's not as difficult to fill (i.e. it is a great job that plenty of people would love to have).

Job Search Secret

To summarize, here's a point by point comparison of advertised vs. unadvertised (hidden) job leads:

Advertised Jobs Unadvertised
(Hidden) Jobs
20% of jobs are here

80% of jobs are here
Plenty of job seekers look for advertised job leads

Far fewer job seekers look in the hidden job market (that means less competition for you!)
Jobs are easy to find

Jobs are harder to find
Once you find them, jobs are harder to get (more competition)

Once you find them, these jobs are much easier to get (less competition)
Often harder for employers to fill these job vacancies (may mean a less than ideal job)

Often easier for employers to fill (often the better jobs are in the hidden job market)

If you limit yourself to searching for advertised job leads, you are seriously limiting your job search. If 80% of jobs are never advertised, and you are only searching for advertised jobs, for every one great job lead you find, there are 4 other excellent unadvertised job opportunities that you did not find simply because you weren't looking in the right places.

The best job search secret for finding great job leads is to divide your time effectively. Spend about 20% of your time pursuing advertised jobs and 80% tapping into the hidden job market to make the most effective use of your job search time and efforts.

Learn more job search secrets for finding great job leads:

Online Resume Posting
Online or electronic resume posting can be an effective strategy to search for job leads. Keep these tips in mind when you post your resume online.">

Temp Employment Agency
Working with a temp employment agency can be a good way to find work fast. Examine the pros and cons of working with a temporary placement agency, learn how to sign on with a temp job agency and discover how to choose the best temp employment agency for your needs.

Cold Calling for Jobs
Cold calling for jobs is probably the most nerve wracking of all job search strategies. These tips will show you how to cold call with (a little more) confidence.

Find Unadvertised Jobs with Trade Journals
Trade journals can be a great resource to find unadvertised jobs as well as advertised jobs. Subscribing to trade journals in your industry will help you to keep up to date with your field, and you'll be aware of new developments that will impact staffing needs within your industry.

Use Business Directories to Find Hidden Jobs
Unadvertised, or hidden jobs can provide the best career opportunities, and business and industry directories can be a great research tool to help you with accessing the hidden job market.

Blank Employment Application
Tips on completing a blank employment application form to make a great first impression.

Sample Employment Application
This sample employment application form shows you the information that will be required on most employment application forms.

Help Wanted Signs
Is it worthwhile to search help wanted signs when you need to hunt for a job? It really depends on what type of work you are seeking.

Networking for a Job Through Volunteer Work
Volunteering can be a great strategy for networking for a job. Volunteering can provide excellent career building opportunities as well as good opportunities to find unadvertised job leads.

The Importance of Career Networking
The importance of career networking should never be underestimated. The best jobs are typically found through networking, so your business and personal network should be your number one job search secret weapon.

Informational Interview Tips
An informational interview can be a fantastic way to develop job leads. Learn how to use this job search technique to find hidden jobs.

Informational Interview Questions
12 great informational interview questions to ask, and one question you should never ask during an informational interview.

Career Networking with Professional Associations
Professional associations and clubs can provide great career networking opportunities. It's wise to explore the career networking opportunities provided by your professional association.

Job Search Networking at Your Local Employment Resource Center
If you're conducting a job search, networking is typically the most effective way to find the best job opportunities. One great and often overlooked job search secret is your local employment resource center. You might be surprised by the support and resources you can find at these centers.

How to Find Job Leads at Trade Shows
Here's a job search technique you might not have considered: career networking at trade shows. Trade shows can be an absolutely fantastic place to network, and seeking out job leads and business contacts at trade shows is a very effective job search technique.

Business Cards for Job Search Networking
When you're working, you use business cards as a quick and easy way to ensure others have your contact information. Your own personal business cards can be used in the same way when you're networking for a job.

Job Fair Info and Tips
Job search secrets for job fairs and career fairs.

What is the Most Unusual or Creative Strategy You've Use to Find a Great Job?

Only 20% of jobs are actually advertised, so job seekers who use creative job search techniques normally find great job leads in interesting ways. They also usually spend lees time out of work and are typically happier with the jobs they find when compared with job seekers who only pursue advertised job leads.

Since creative job search techniques are so effective, please share the most unusual or creative strategy you have ever used to find a job.

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